To quote:
Nearly a quarter of people surveyed said they had "zero" close friends with whom to discuss personal matters. More than 50 percent named two or fewer confidants, most often immediate family members, the researchers said.
This quote made me wonder:
People were not asked why they had fewer intimate ties, but Smith-Lovin said that part of the cause could be that Americans are working more, marrying later, having fewer children, and commuting longer distances.
I am seeing the same pattern here in the Philippines, Filipinos do work more now than before, extending more than the usual 8 hours. Most tend to work overtime mainly because of the additional pay it will bring. Most of the bachelors I know also tend to delay marrying, taking care of their finances first, and trying to get themselves stable before finally settling down. And even after marrying, most would plan on having just two to three kids, mostly because of fear of not having enough to support their children. I am speaking of the middle to upper class families here, choosing not to delve into the lower DE population, as it may be a totally different world altogether.
But are we seeing the same case where Filipinos' feel more alone? I am not feeling that right now. Atleast, I still feel that Filipinos' tend to feel at ease with their friends that they can easily open up to them. Communities spring in the office, from highschool and college friends, and even from the Internet. Even in the workplace, you will see the effort to build alliances and cammaraderie among the employees, through parties, sports events and team buildings. Most multinationals also advocate the balanced life principle, where people are encouraged to go home early and spend quality time with family and friends.
Lastly, I think because of our very close family ties, it is almost impossible for someone to have no one to turn to. We value family relationships, we care so much about our family members and make a very big effort to be always there for them. All we need is phone and for sure someone will answer at the other end.
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